Komorebi
by TheGreatestLin
Summary: In the times of war, a cherry blossom has wilted before it can bloom. It was until she found the sun that she bloomed beautifully and courageously. NaruSaku. Other pairings will be mentioned later.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its character.

Author's Note: Komorebi, if you're curious of the meaning, means "the sunshine filtering through the leaves of a tree(s)."

This story is taking place during the Sengoku Era of Japan, historically and not in the Naruto universe. And so Sakura is not a ninja and neither is Naruto since I've made them apart of Samurai clans. There will be ninjas, there will be powers and such, but I wanted to make that clear.

And before I finish, I've made this chapter quite short since I wanted to see if it will be well received. R&R.

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><p><strong>Chapter One:<strong>

Sakura of the Haruno Clan

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><p>Spring had just arrived and pink, beautiful flowers had bloomed in the tree. Although these cherry blossoms seemed to differ here than they had in her homeland, she had loved them all the same. Standing under the fully bloomed tree was Haruno Sakura, princess of the Haruno clan. Sakura was a princess with well-renowned fame throughout Japan and even in China due to circumstances of her being away from her home of Japan and residing in China for safety purposes. She was sent to live with her grandparents while a war raged on at home. Her father wanted her safety first and so he shipped her to them despite her loud and angry protests.<p>

"Lady Sakura," A woman called her, making her empty her troubling thoughts of her fire and fixate on the servant that required her attention. Once the servant realized that she had her full attention, the woman lowered her head some. "Your grandfather wants to see you."

Nodding, she began to walk back inside her home, following the stone path in the garden that lead to the west wing of the large home. Her grandfather, Zan, was a retired general of the Emperor. He had lived his days peacefully with a dojo, teaching young men the arts of Xingyi.

Men were more regarded a fighters but women have rose to the occasion to prove them wrong. Sakura was one of them herself due to her grandfather finding the fighter's spirit within her. When she was young, she used to watch her grandfather practice. Her grandfather had mastered more than just Xingyi, but Bagua as well. He allowed no one to watch because he only taught his disciples Xingyi, for Bagua was lethal.

Sakura was so enraptured with his coil and sharp movements that would make every step and every stance so graceful; he was like a dance and she wanted to emulate him. She too wanted to look lovely to watch. She would spend most of her days practicing in the courtyard when she thought no eyes could see and one day he caught her, but he didn't stifle her. No, he corrected her; always lifting her foot higher or raising her elbow lower. He pitied the idea at first but he taught her anyway. Now she was his most successful disciple, skilled in Bagua and Xingyi, but she was never allowed to display such arts around her father, who was against her knowing any martial art.

Upon reaching the meeting hall, she bowed upon entering the presence of her grandfather and held such a curious look in her eyes. Tall and slim, hair long and gray that was pulled back in a braid that reached his hip, Zan looked over his shoulder at his granddaughter and greeted her with a small smile. "I received word from your father."

Hopeful, and somewhat relieved, Sakura took a step forward. "Does that mean that the war is over?"

"I'm afraid not." Saddened, Sakura lowered her head and closed her eyes, hand balling into a tight fist. "He said that he has gotten some more allies…" It didn't ease her homesickness but she felt relieved that other people were willing to help her father. It was nerve-wracking to think that with how long this was was escalating that meant the enemy truly was no easy feat. "And…" Sakura's eyes continued looking at the floor, "he misses you."

It warmed her heart some upon hearing that, knowing her father missed her just as much as she missed him. It made her smile, genuinely, and Zan was glad to see his granddaughter looking as radiant as she was meant to. "Grandfather…" Curling her hands into fists, she narrowed her gaze, "I want to help my father. I want to go back home. Those people, those lands, our fiefdoms, are very much as mine as they are his. I can fight, I should be able to fight alongside him."

Silence lingered after her declaration, Zan had already averted his eyes to gaze out the window into the warm skies that were filled with scattered, cotton clouds. "Your father—"

"_My father_ needs help." She interrupted, "_My father_ needs to know that his patriarchal way of thinking needs to end. Why is it allowed that village women can pick up a weapon and fight, but I can't? Why is that there are few female warriors and ninjas that are in battlefields all the time, but I can't? Just because I'm a princess?!" Her voice was raising as the fury of being held back because of her ranking was engulfing her, she hadn't meant to yell at her grandfather or disrespect him. Zan knew his temperamental granddaughter well.

"No, it's not about you being a princess, Sakura." He answered, "It's about you being the only family he has left." It dawned on her, in that moment, that her father was so protective because she was the last of the Haruno bloodline other than her uncle. "If something were to happen to you, how would he feel? You are his daughter, the pride of the Haruno clan. He already lost your mother and he cannot lose you either."

Sakura understood, she truly did, but it still wasn't fair. "Grandfather, my mother was a warrior too."

"Yes," He nodded as he thought about his only child, "I know. She had a temper much like yours, very resilient." She wished she hadn't brought her mother up knowing how her grandparents still grieved for her. Her death hadn't fully healed with her either but she tried to keep a brave face. "You have to understand his reasoning."

It was clear that arguing about it wasn't going to help and there was nothing really that her grandfather could do. She was far away from home anyway and so she couldn't just march there and demand to be treated as more than just a princess.

"In times like these, Sakura, all you can do is grow strong and have patience." It was clear his words did little to no comfort, but he knew that if he didn't tame her ferocious anger, she'd be too impulsed to do something.

"Grow strong just to stay locked in the castle and to be patient just to go back?... What's the point?" Defeated and tired of beating the same drum, she turned away from her grandfather and left the room. It wasn't his fault, he was the reason why she was strong in the first place since he taught her how to fight. It was her father that was holding her back.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its character.

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, favorites, and follows! I hope I don't disappoint.

It's short because internet was shotty and this was all that could be saved on the document. = w = Damn internet.

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><p><strong>Chapter Two:<strong>

Impetuous

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><p>A petite hand, balled up in a tight fist, was outstretched in front her before circling in and moving downward to hit a spot of what would be her enemy's bladder. At the same time, her left hand with her palm open and visible, following the movement of her right hand circling down. Her feet were not still either during these strikes, her right foot stepped in a half step with her left foot following, stamping to add more power.<p>

Amidst her training of Bagua, her grandfather stood beside Sakura's bodyguard. "Soon she won't need me anymore." The young woman spoke, looking up at Zan as he watched his granddaughter, who was intensely focusing on movement.

"She'll always need you, Kirita." Zan said with a small smile before his green eyes looked down at the female warrior.

Kirita was a Japanese girl and onne-bugeisha. When her lord died and she became a ronin, she was going to commit seppuku due to her lack of knowledge of surviving without serving. Mebuki, Zan's daughter and Sakura's mother, had met her amidst such actions and asked her to serve them. Since then, she's never left the Haruno clan's side.

During the last set, Sakura had noticed Kirita and her grandfather in the middle of the training field. "Oh, what are you two doing here?" She questioned, shuffling some of her hair away from her face as her eyes continued to hold surprise and curiosity.

"We haven't seen you all day and so we figured you would be out here." Kirita said, "I wanted to tell you some news."

"Is it from my father?" Walking towards them, she kept her eyes focused on Kirita, who handed her the letter. Seeing as how Kirita wanted her to see the letter for herself, she began to read the contents of parchment: "Sakura, the war has not let up but your grandfather tells me of your complaints. After many hours of thinking, I have decided that you're allowed to come home under the condition that you fight when I allow it…"

Gasping, Sakura's eyes shot up from the paper and up towards her grandfather, who held a small smile. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around him, causing him to stumble a few steps. "Grandfather, did you write him a letter telling him how angry I was?"

"Well, I might've done that. Who is to say?" Zan shrugged playfully, unable to hold back the smile. "Not just that, your grandmother gave me an earful. She told me Mebuki would haunt me if your father and I keep treating you as a docile child."

Suppressing her tears, Sakura pulled away from him and placed the back of her hand over her mouth to continue to stifle her crying. Kirita gave Sakura a warm smile, happy to see the princess happy for once. After nearly six months of tantrums and anger, Sakura finally was able to genuinely be happy about something and get to do what she always wanted.

"When do I leave?" She managed to ask, gripping tightly to the letter in her hand.

Zan looked to Kirita, who noticed his eyes on her and then looked to Sakura. "Oh, well, in two days. There will be a ship here in two days."

"I'll go pack my things!" Sakura quickly ran back into the home, leaving Kirita and Zan outside.

"So, when are we going to tell her that you forged this letter?" Kirita asked, "I'm surprised she didn't already notice it wasn't Lord Kizashi's handwriting."

With a sigh, the old man stroke his long beard with his eyes closed. "Oh, she'll figure it out soon enough but she won't figure it out here."

Sighing, she shook her head. "Lord Kizashi won't be happy seeing his daughter." Folding her arms, she closed her eyes. "And I'm pretty sure I'll be in trouble for it as well."

Patting atop of her head, he let out a chuckle. "You'll be fine. Please, Kirita, continue to take care of my granddaughter. It's taking a lot in me to approve of this, and to let her do this but I cannot hold her back. She is her own person and very much a reflection of my daughter."

Opening one eye, she looked up to the man as he held a very sad look in his eyes. He was obviously worried because he didn't want to lose Sakura the same way he lost his daughter. It almost made her envious since she lost her family due to war. Her azure eyes then looked back towards the large home before them, "It wasn't just Lady Mebuki that found me when I was going to kill myself… It was Sakura too." Kirita explained, "Sakura was only ten and hiding behind Lady Mebuki's dress… She told me that killing myself was bad. I was confused but I humored her innocent way of thinking, and she asked Lady Mebuki if I could go home with them."

Whilst listening to her story, Zan slowly turned to look at the young warrior beside him as a smile graced her face. "That's why you're so protective of her?"

"Of course," She nodded, "Sakura and Lady Mebuki gave me a reason to live. My life is theirs. And since Lady Mebuki is gone, my life only belongs to Sakura."

**::**

"SasuKEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

As usual, in the capital of Konohagakure during the midst of peace, was a usual battle between well-known rivals. Standing on one of the many balconies of the large castle that was surrounded by a city, a bumbling city full of life that had been safe from war for several years, was the Lady of a castle. A woman renowned for her long and fiery, red hair that fell down to her knees and round violet eyes. Her hands were holding onto the red gates of the balcony. "Naruto and Sasuke are at it again?"

Walking up from behind her was a man of 5'8 and blond, spiky hair with clear blue eyes. "Every since I told Fugaku-sama to have a meeting with me, Naruto's been finding every chance to compete with Sasuke."

Turning to her husband, she let out a long sigh. "I suppose I can never expect peace and quiet when the Uchiha clan come here, can I?"

"No." He smiled and placed his arm around her small shoulders, "We should've gave him a sibling a long time ago."

"And whose fault was that?!" He rubbed the back of his head with his free hand as his wife's voice raised, "I asked for a daughter right when Naruto was five."

Sighing, he nodded. "You're right, you did, Kushina." Looking over the city, he saw his son and dark-haired teen on opposite roofs. "But it's been hectic these past couple of years. We've been lucky that we've been free of war for a while, but who is to say the peace will last? I will never leave you pregnant and alone."

Kushina's face softened upon his words, "Minato…" Her eyes then followed his towards their son, the corner of her lips curling up into a small smile. "How is Kizashi-sama? Is Sakura-hime safe?"

"Kizashi-sama just recently asked for samurai and I told him I would help him. I'll be sending Kakashi," He explained, "I'll be giving Kakashi a large troop and if the problems persist then I'll send more. And, I believe Sakura-hime is also safe." The worry didn't etch off her face, not even in the slightest. "Are you worried about Kakashi? He'll be fine."

"No, I'm not worried about Kakashi. I'm worried about Kizashi-sama and Sakura-hime." Her violet eyes then looked towards the wooden floor between their feet, her hand resting over the center of her chest. "Mebuki-chan and I were friends, ttebane. Her, Mikoto, and I… It was hard losing her… and she fought so hard to protect her daughter. I don't want anything to happen to her daughter either. I want to protect Sakura-hime for Mebuki-chan."

"Kushina…" Seeing the tears well up in her eyes only reminded him of the day of Mebuki's death. Kushina could barely sleep or eat, trying her best to be happy in front of Naruto and himself despite her hurt. He promised her then that he wouldn't allow anyone else she loved to be killed despite knowing that it was a lie. He couldn't save everyone, people die but even still he made the promise anyway.

Wiping the tears that managed to slip with the sleeve of her kimono, she sniffled a few times before creating a smile. "I'm sorry, Minato."

Using the side of his thumbs, he brushed the tears that came pouring after the one she wiped off her round face. To help console her, he pressed his lip against her forehead and then gave her a warm smile. Just seeing that expression that she had loved so much did calm her some, making her relax and not think of the pain of losing Mebuki.

"'Kaa-san~" The duo jumped upon hearing the voice, both of them turning to see look at Naruto, waving at them with a large grin on his face. "Wanna watch me beat Sasu—" Before he could even finish the sentence, a large fireball went hurling in Naruto way.

"N-Naruto!" Kushina screamed out in hurry but Naruto was already counteracting the attack. Spinning his naginata, he cut the ball flame in half, using an air ability to slice it in half down the middle as it continued to move past him.

Minato and Kushina sighed of relief once their son was visible and in one piece. "Sasuke, what the hell?!" He yelled at the boy on the other side.

"You weren't paying attention." The Uchiha heir said simply, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. Turning away from the blond, he scaled down the walls before jumping towards the ground, landing perfectly on his feet.

Sasuke, unlike Naruto, was from a clan of ninja and samurais. The Uchiha clan was a clan of ninjas first before his father, Fugaku, had own more fiefdoms to expand themselves to be large enough to be samurai. Sasuke himself had the luxury to train to be both, but thought that being a ninja was less of a nuisance than being a samurai.

Annoyed that Sasuke stormed away from him, Naruto turned towards his parents. "I'll be home in a sec!"

"Can you believe it? Naruto is actually seventeen now." Kushina said as she watched Naruto safely ease his way down before letting his feet touch the ground.

Minato smiled upon her words, "I can't believe it still. It feels like just yesterday I was told you had to hold him first."

"You're still upset about that?" She questioned, laughing as she remembered his irritated expression when being denied to hold their first and only newborn. "I remember holding such a fragile boy in my arms…" She closed her eyes, losing herself in the memories of the day she first met her precious son, her Naruto.

"But now that he is growing to be a man, we'll have to prepare him for it. We allowed him to become a samurai at fourteen, but soon he'll have to get married." Minato looked at Kushina at the corner of his eyes, who nodded understandingly.

"Naruto never likes decisions being made for him and I'm sure an arranged marriage is not going to be something that he likes. How are we even going to bring this up to him?" Both of them sighed, knowing that their son was going to flat out refuse.

Rubbing his temples he tried to think of a clear plan, "It would be simple to let him meet the girl first and see if he likes her or not. If he likes her then we can bring it up, but if he doesn't then we'll probably just have to decline. Both of us fought against our arranged marriages, so I don't think it is fair that we don't allow Naruto to choose as well."

It was times like these that she was glad that Minato had an open-mind and a gentle heart. "You said the Hyūga clan proposed a marriage alliance, didn't you?"

"Yes..." Folding his arms, he sighed once more. "I really don't want to refuse them because they have skilled warriors, warriors you would want to be on your side during a battle."

"Their daughter… What is she like?" It didn't surprise him to hear her curious about what girl could take her son away.

Minato hummed, "I don't know much about her but I did hear she's beautiful; quite on the shy side… That's all I know."

His wife wasn't all too enthused by his lack of information, "I think I want to meet her the same time Naruto does. I think I know what's best for him."

"You might scare her." Minato warned teasingly.

"Eh? I'm not that scary!" Kushina huffed, feeling quite offended by her husband's joke.

Fumbling their way in the room, Naruto pushed open the sliding doors and ran over to his parents who he thought were in the middle of a playful fight. "Uh, 'kaa-san… 'tou-san…" He looked at the two, wondering if it was okay for him to interrupt.

"Naruto." As usual, his mother gave him her full attention, ignoring Minato at her side. He could the feel the heatwave radiating off of her, reminding him that their fight was not necessarily over. "Are you causing chaos around the city?!" The boy jumped as soon as his mother voice raised, yelping as he envisioned her growing large in size and hair floating wildly from the aura of her anger.

"N-No!" He immediately said, pleading for her to show mercy. "Sasuke and I were just playing around, I'm serious! Nothing got damaged and nobody got hurt!" Continuously, he felt himself getting smaller and smaller by her glare.

Taking his son's word for it, Minato placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder. "You're the son of the Shogun, Naruto, you have to be a little more careful in your play fights or whatever you two are doing."

"Ah, yeah, I know." Rubbing the back of his head, he gave his parents a large grin. "Sasuke's gotten strong and I felt a bit jealous. I thought I was still stronger, but I guess I'm not…"

"Heh!" His mother scoffed, "You just have to train some more. I don't want Mikoto-chan telling me her son bested you!" Kushina was still as competitive as ever. "Oh, and Naruto," gather the boys hands in hers, she gave him a playful smirk. "Is there a girl you like?"

Their son rose a brow, confused by his mother's behavior. "A girl… I like? Ah, well…" Averting his gaze, he tried to fight the crimson blush that was forming on his face. "There is one girl but I haven't seen her in a long time."

Minato and Kushina looked at one another, wondering who their son was talking about. "Who?"

"Ah, I can't tell ya! It'll be weird, dattebayo!" Slipping his hand away from his mother's, he turned away as she felt extremely flustered and embarrassed. "A-Anyway! Sasuke told me about Haruno, are we gonna be helping too?"

Changing the flow of the conversation, Naruto turned back around to look at his father who answered him with a nod. "I'll be sending Kakashi and some troops."

"Can I go too?" Both of them were surprised by his request. "Sasuke is going too, and I think it's about time that I actually go on the battlefield. I'll never get any experience if someone tries to attack us."

Minato and Kushina continued to look at one another, Minato studying Kushina's expressions as they arranged from fear to confusion. She was scared to let him go but she knew she couldn't hinder him. "Is that what you really want, Naruto?"

The young samurai nodded furiously, the determination ablaze in his eyes. Minato looked to his wife once more, who gave him a firm nod. "Then you'll be leaving with Kakashi this afternoon."

"Alright!" Throwing his fist in the air, Naruto was filled with excitement that he'll be tasting his first war-battle soon.

Seeing his happy face did make his parents smile but their hearts were still heavy with worry. They didn't voice it because they believed, more than anyone, that Naruto would return safely and stronger than before.

Immediately, Naruto decided to tell Sasuke the news. First, he wanted to remind the Uchiha that he too will be showcasing his skills on the battlefield. No longer will Sasuke be able to one-up him, he'll finally be more than just a clan heir. _'Heh, Sasuke is always showing me up. Not anymore.'_

The Uchiha's were staying in the castle as welcomed guests and they had taken the right wing, enjoying being in the garden area near the forest due to their heirs being very much aggravated when they hadn't gotten their training time. Itachi, quite infamous in his own right, was with them and it also meant Sasuke didn't want to stray from his brother too much.

Itachi and Sasuke felt like brothers to him in the first place. Itachi was gentle-mannered, thoughtful, and well-spoken. Sasuke was arrogant, competitive, and aloof but he always seemed to shrink whenever he was beside Itachi. All of them had such polar personalities but they gotten along much better than anyone would ever think.

"Naruto?" A woman with long, black hair and eyes to match had gotten his attention. He came to a halt to speak Itachi and Sasuke's mother.

"Ah, oba-chan," he greeted her with a smile, "have you seen Sasuke?"

Mikoto smiled upon the greeting and nodded, "He's speaking to Fugaku, so you'll have to wait a little while. In the meantime, you can talk to me."

Leading Naruto to an unoccupied room, she sat down on a zabuton ( cushion ) and offered him one as well. Naruto patiently sat down, curious of what Mikoto wanted to speak about. "Sasuke might be a bit moody for a while."

"Huh? How come?" inquired the young samurai, "I mean… He's always moody, but if you think he's gonna be moody then it must be even worse."

She placed a hand over her lips before letting out a breathy, sweet laugh. It then dimmed some minutes after, her eyes showcasing a sense of somberness. "Fugaku and I were thinking of Sasuke's future and the future of the clan," Naruto's eyes stayed trained on her as she spoke, "he's young and handsome… He's really strong and we need to make sure that the Uchiha clan's legacy continues on."

"Uh... oba-chan, where are you going with this?"

It surprised her how he didn't catch on, she figured she made it painfully obvious. "Well, we're planning in making Sasuke get married."

"Married? He's only eighteen, oba-chan!" Even though it was normal, especially for girls to get married at the age of twelve, he didn't see himself or Sasuke getting married until they were in their twenties.

She felt the same but she had to think of the better of the clan as well, "We haven't told him who he'll be marrying but he knows he will be, at least now he does."

"Well, who is it?" Well, he was indefinitely interested on what poor girl would be forced to marry the brooding Uchiha. "Is it someone I know?"

Before Mikoto could answer, the sliding door of the room opened to reveal Sasuke. The look on his face summed up his whole feeling on the marriage issue. He looked aggravated, as if he was given a problem that was beyond his comprehension.

"Sasuke…" His mother's voice rung in the air, her worry evident on his face. The last thing she wanted was any of her boys to be unhappy.

His onyx eyes glanced towards her before averting, Naruto noted his silence and felt uncomfortable. He just wanted to rub it in the boy's face that they would be fighting together but he ended up getting more than what he bargained for. "Uh, Sasuke," he interrupted the heavy tension, "I was going to tell you that you and I will be helping Haruno together."

A thin brow was raised, mild curiosity written on Sasuke's face. "Your parents are letting you tag along? You haven't even been in actual war before."

"So? It's about time that I have!" Naruto quickly got on his feet, emphasizing his point with his hands. "You and I are very much heirs of our clan, and I'm the only heir. I have to take care of my clan if somethin' happens to my 'tou-san. I can't be inexperienced, so it's about time I got it."

Sasuke let out an audible hmph, which Naruto took for that he understood his point. "Just don't get in my way."

"Heh, don't get in mine!" Mikoto looked at the two boys, a sense of content upon her face. _'They are really growing up...'_ She thought, amazed at how she remembered the two being five and running around, causing havoc to anyone that crossed their paths. Having Itachi running around after them and cleaning up their messes.

Unsure about asking Sasuke about the arranged marriage in front of his mother or at all, Naruto decided to keep the conversation away from it. "Where's Itachi?"

"With Kakashi," answered Sasuke, "he's working on strategies on how they can help Haruno without being too much in their way."

"What am I am unsure about it, is if they went past the watchtower." Sasuke shook his head, "So they aren't too close to the castle, right?"

"Right." Relieved, Naruto then looked towards the woman, who sat with her hands resting on her lap. "Oba-chan, you and 'kaa-san really knew his wife, right?"

The woman perked up slightly, "Yes, Mebuki-chan and I were friends." She answered, "Are you curious of something else?"

"Oh, well, it's just… That means you know their daughter, right?"

"Sakura-hime?" Mikoto asked, the boy nodding his head. "I've met Sakura-hime twice." The woman began to smile as she thought of the young princess, "She was young both times I met her. I haven't seen her in years."

"'kaa-san said she's safe, but does that mean she's at the castle?" Sasuke looked towards the blond, wondering why he was so curious of the Haruno princess.

Mikoto was also wondering the same. "I'm not too sure if she's at the castle or not, but if she's safe then she might not be."

There was a hint of disappointment on his feature making the woman raise a brow before glancing at Sasuke, who still was quite confused of the boy's behavior.

"Why do you care about the princess?" Sasuke finally asked.

"Ah, well… I just don't want her getting in our way, that's all!" If anyone knew that he was lying, it was Sasuke.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its character.

Author's Note: Internet remains shotty and does not like documents written 5k+ When will this internet's evil reign be over?

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><p><strong>Chapter Three:<strong>

The Dawn

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><p>It was nearing the second day as the ship had sailed across the vast, blue waters. Sakura spent most of her time on deck either training or staring out in the ocean blue, watching how the sun would kiss the ocean before letting the day be devoured by darkness just to rise again and do the same course of actions again. She always enjoyed that part of sailing though, especially since it was the only time she could unwind as long as there wasn't a storm. As she leaned against the wooden railing of the ship, she looked over her shoulder to see Kirita training.<p>

Centering herself, her hands clasping around the hilt of the sword at her waist, she slowly pulled the blade out of it's sheath. The blade was fully released from its scabbard now, her hands gentle grip only tightening some as she pulled the sword back with both hands, the hilt now seating itself just above her shoulder. A routine of strikes had soon commenced in effortless fashion, the speed of the female warrior was almost quicker than the eye could catch. Again and again she would strike, swinging the sword as each attack at the pace of her heartbeat.

Sakura gazed in admiration as the girl attacked this invisible opponent, making sure not to harm any of the seamen that came running by doing their chores. "Kirita," Sakura finally spoke up as the girl had paused within stance and let her eyes roamed over to meet Sakura's.

"Yes, Sakura-hime?" Kirita quickly placed the sword back in its scabbard, giving the pink-haired princess her full and undivided attention.

"Who taught you how to use a sword?" She watched Kirita's expression changing from inquisitive to surprised.

Her arms fully at her sides, she looked down at the wooden floor of the deck before closing her eyes, immersing herself in thought. "My oji-san taught me how to use a sword."

Sakura never really inquired about the girl's family upon finding out most of her immediate family were dead. She figured it was too painful to ask, but she couldn't help but wonder how Kirita became so skilled. "Not your… father?"

Shaking her head, the blue-eyed warrior gave her a small smile. "My chichi-ue was very much like Kizashi-sama," She sighed, "he didn't like women fighting in wars. I was his only daughter and since I had two older brothers, it was only right they learned the way of the sword while I learned embroidery and how to be a good housewife like my haha-ue." Glancing at her sword, she smiled quite fondly at it. "My oji-san didn't believe in that, he always said: "The battlefield would look more beautiful if there were women fighting. Although I am against women dying but I've seen some tough women in my days to know they can fight just as good as I can." He was a firm believer in that and thought that I should learn in case something happened to our home."

"I thought all upper class women and girls were taught how to fight?" Sakura questioned, "Why wouldn't your father allow it anyway?"

"My chichi-ue just didn't believe in women fighting." Shrugging her shoulders, she smiled towards Sakura. "Sometimes, people are never going to like something and even though they don't like it, they'll have to learn to accept it. Kizashi-sama might not like you fighting but if he sees how much it means to you then I believe he'll find it in his heart to accept it."

Hearing her words did lift the princess' spirit some, making Sakura curl up her fists in silent glee. It still didn't occur to her that the letter was forged just yet, which made Kirita wonder how long she wasn't going to notice.

"We're almost home…" The sound of homesickness was in her voice, it was completely noticeable but Kirita too missed her homeland.

**::**

"Gah!" exasperatedly, Naruto threw his arms in the air. "How long is it gonna take to get there?!"

"Calm down, Naruto, we're almost there." said Kakashi, General of the Namikaze clan. Kakashi was a relatively tall man, spiky hair and dark-colored eyes. He always wore a mask that covered half of face; including his narrow jawline. A small, vertical car ran over his left eye, which has a history behind it that most people come to know once they've been blessed to work under him. Only at thirty-one, he accomplished many great things more many men his age and even earned quite a few legendary names as well.

Most of the samurai and ninjas looked up to Kakashi and had great respect for him even though he plays off as this lazy man that rather read all day than have time for war. "Says the guy on a horse!"

Chuckling, Kakashi looked away from the annoyed blond and paid attention to the road ahead. Sasuke was quiet during Naruto's fit as he was still mumbling his frustrations under his breath yet he couldn't helped be annoyed himself that he was made to walk as well.

"Did I really have to come along?" Naruto glanced towards the young man that spoke, his hair pulled up in a spiky ponytail and narrowed eyes, who seemed already finished with the mission before it even started.

"We need a strategist." mentioned the robust boy on his right, who was already eating a few rice balls as they were walking. "And you're one of the best."

"Choji, Shikamaru never wants to do anything." Naruto spoke up, looking at the two as Shikamaru, the strategist that hailed from the Nara clan, gave him a very dull expression. "Isn't that right, Shikamaru?"

Sighing, he shook his head. "It's not that I don't want to do anything, but… War is really tiresome. It's an emotional, physical, and mental strain that I just like to avoid." He explained, "But it's somethin' that comes with being a samurai and I signed up for it."

Everything Shikamaru had said was correct. War, even if they didn't want it or want to be apart of it, was something they had signed up for. Shikamaru could of very well had been anything; a constable, magistrate or kokunin. he didn't have to be a samurai but he chose to be one. Why? Nobody really knew, but it had to be a good reason for him to want to be one.

After the long silence after the Nara's words, Choji spoke up. "War is tiring, and makes me hungry, but do you notice how a lot of women pay attention to us since we became one?"

"Really? You got noticed by girls?" questioned the blond, who spun around and walked backwards so he could continue with the march but give Choji his full attention.

"Yeah!" The boy beamed, his eyes lighting up and even the red swirls on his cheeks had heightened in color as he reminisced. "Wait, why wouldn't I be noticed by girls? Are you trying to insinuate somethin', Naruto?"

Naruto scratched his cheek, "Insinuate somethin'? No, I just thought that…" He trailed, noticing Shikamaru shake his head as if to warn him not to do something he would regret. "Well, I just thought that, uhm…" Rubbing the back of his head, he found it hard to even continue without insulting Choji. "Ah, I forgot what I was gonna say."

Sasuke sniffed, a smirk playing across his features as he had a good idea of what Naruto was going to say. "Anyway," Naruto changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on pissing off Choji. "uh, Kakashi-sensei, what are we gonna do once we reach Saika castle?"

"Well, it won't take long." was Kakashi's answer, "A day if you guys can't keep walking."

Naruto sighed, arms folded. "I mean, how do we not have enough horses?"

"That's what your father is working on." The silver-haired man glanced towards the samurai, "Haruno has a lot of land stable enough for animals, which means he can breed horses by the masses. That's why they have a strong cavalry unit. If Minato-sama continues to help Kizashi-sama, Kizashi-sama will give him more horses."

Sasuke then joined in the conversation, "Isn't Minato-sama allied with Kizashi-sama? Why wouldn't he just request more horses and other things he would like to transport if they have an alliance?"

"We are not in alliance with the Haruno clan." Naruto and Sasuke were both surprised, even Shikamaru. "Kizashi-sama and and Minato-sama have not agreed on it as of yet. Not sure why myself."

Naruto could've sworn that Kizashi and his father had formed an alliance a long time ago. They had been friends and he thought it was guaranteed. Was there a reason why? Either way, he was going to get to the bottom of it once they reached Saika castle.

"Do we have any idea where we'll be staying?" Choji asked, "I doubt we'll be staying in Saika castle, so…"

"Are you asking me this because you don't want to stay in the barracks?" With a hurried nod, he was given his answer. "We'll be staying in the guest barracks, which are more luxurious than regular barracks."

Choji was a bit disappointed but he wasn't disappointed too greatly. "I heard Saika castle is beautiful," one samurai spoke up, "Is it really surrounded by an ocean?"

"Half of it is." Naruto couldn't remember the last time he visited, but he did remember the sounds of the roaring ocean when he was there. "The castle is on top of a large hill and is heavily fortified."

Many of the young men tried to image what the castle looked like, "But isn't it scary? They could face some disasters, couldn't they?"

"They have been safe for many years and I do not doubt their safety will still continue." Once Kakashi said that, their curiosity began to ebb away and they paid attention to the road ahead. Instead of wondering what it looked like, they were too busy eager with the fact that they'll get to see it.

**::**

It felt amazing to have her feet touch land. It felt even more amazing because it was her land, her home. The land of the Rising Sun.

Sakura threw her arms above her, inhaling the air despite still smelling the ocean air. "To think we're just a carriage ride away from the castle!"

Kirita had stood beside Sakura, her brows creased. Sakura still had not noticed that the letter from her "father" was not from him but her grandfather's own handwriting. What would she to do if Kizashi argued against Sakura fighting anyway? What was she to say about the letter? What was she to do if she found out even the boat trip back home and carriage ride was orchestrated by her grandfather?

Looking towards the dark-haired female, she caught the strange glimpse of worry. Sakura rose a brow and fully turned to the warrior, "What's wrong, Kirita-chan?"

"A-Ah nothing, Sakura-hime! Nothing at all!" The way her voice rose was enough to alert Sakura that Kirita was lying but she figured not to push it further and just to keep a watch on any more of Kirita's suspicious behavior. "We should hurry up and get to the carriage."

Nodding, the princess walked alongside the warrior with her smile still on her face. Her eyes danced around the large port, watching fishermen sell their freshly caught fish and shout out prices; reasonable and unreasonable ones.

A large carriage fit for royalty was now upon them, Kirita had went up to the carriage to inspect it first and made sure that no mishaps could happen while Sakura was on board. Kicking the wheels, she felt it was sturdy enough. Opening the carriage door, she stepped aside to allow Sakura inside before climbing in herself and shutting the door.

"Isn't it a bit weird…?" Sakura looked towards Kirita as she spoke, "Usually there's a lot of samurai that come pick me up but there's only three."

Kirita did notice that but then remembered that there was no way Lord Zan could ask any samurai from the Haruno clan to escort Sakura back home in secret. They were too loyal to Kizashi and would eventually tell. He must've hired ronin in order to fulfill the task. "Ah… Maybe he doesn't want to draw a lot of attention towards you, you know? It'll be easier for us to get attacked if it looks too obvious that someone is in the carriage."

It made sense but it still didn't ease her, however; Sakura decided to let it go. "Ah, I see…"

The carriage began to move, their bodies jilting slightly as the horses galloped. Kirita would occasionally glanced out her side of the window as Sakura did, to see the villagers at their normalcy. Ota castle was in view, which brought a sense of relief to her. It wouldn't take long and they'll be home but what was to come didn't want her to get there any faster.

"I'm glad that they don't live within the fiefdoms that are at war. I know they are trying hard to be calm, but I bet they are afraid." Sakura spoke up, looking to see the people going on about their day as if there was no war.

Kirita smiled cheerfully, trying to empty the negative atmosphere. "Are you serious? They look fine to me. I bet they really believe in Kizashi-sama, so they aren't afraid. After all, what's our motto?"

"Stand strong and do not forget!" She repeated, having a bit more faith as she said so.

"Exactly, so what's there to worry about?" Kirita questioned, "As long as we stand strong and believe in Kizashi-sama, we'll be—"

Immediately, they were thrown to the right of the carriage, it's body rocking as the wheels trembled upon impact. Instinctively, the warrior grabbed onto Sakura and pulled her in a tight hold so that she did not continue to hurt herself against the wooden inside of the carriage. "Are we being attacked?"

Kirita had inched her way towards the window upon hearing what sounded like more horses. Through the curtained window, her eyes widened upon the many men on horseback. "Bandits!"

"Bandits?!" Sakura questioned, "Didn't father send someone to inspect this fief?"

"They must've done a lazy job or these bandits are a bit persistent." She could tell that the carriage driver was trying their best not to be attacked as the bandits kept hitting their swords against carriage's body. "If we keep this up, they'll destroy the carriage. I have to go out."

Kirita had released the princess from protective embrace and opened the door, ready to roll out as the driver sped up by whipping the horses. "You have to stay in here and make it back home."

"Wait, are you telling me to leave you alone and fight a bunch of bandits by yourself?!" angered that she would even suggest a thing, Sakura shook her head in refusal. "Let me fight with you."

"Sakura-hime, your father is waiting for you. How would you think he would feel if there was a delay? He would be worried. He does not need to worry in times of war."

Even though everything she said was true, Sakura did not like the idea of leaving Kirita behind to fight alone. Besides, these guys were small fry—or so she thought. She could take them, this was what her training was for.

The warrior jumped out of the moving carriage, rolling on the ground until she gathered herself and was kneeling. Her hand wrapped upon the handle of the katana as the bandits, in a larger group than she figured, had halted upon seeing her. "It's a woman who carries a sword?"

"Heh, she must think she's some kind of samurai, huh?" said another.

Their insults rolled off her skin, the more important thing was Sakura's safety. Looking over her shoulder, she noticed the carriage was still going, which relieved her. That meant she could fight as she wanted to without worrying about Sakura's safety.

Just as soon she was was about to unsheathe blade, a whiz of pink went past her. With a kick, the princess had arched fingers back at the knuckles to resemble a claw and shifted to the side to grab the incoming man's foot. She threw him back, knocking him towards a group of his comrades behind him.

"Sakura-hime!" Sakura knew that the girl was infuriated by her interference but Sakura would not sit idly by anymore. She was going to protect her people, which included Kirita also.

The leader sucked his teeth, charging at the pink-haired girl. "You stupid brat!"

Green eyes locked straight at him, she pressed her palms together in prayer form and shoved it towards the man throat, immediately making him struggle for air once the hit landed. As he aimed to target her eyes, she suddenly sunk low and leaked her two hands below around by taming the man's right hand, gripping the left at it's weakest spot: the wrist. With a dragon claw attack, without moving her feet, she made it impossible for the man to move.

"Kirita-chan, defeat the rest so that you and I can deal with him when you're done." She was confident she could kill this man in a deadlock, just in time for Kirita to finish off the rest of the bandits, who were equipping themselves with weapons as they spoke.

With a nod, the female warrior charged forward. Immediately, she used the back of her blade to render one bandit unconscious. After one bandit fell, her sword clash against another's as he prepared his blade to strike her.

Tenaciously, she pushed the man back using half her strength and once he stumbled back, she managed to flip over him and slammed the sheath against the back of his head to knock him out. Sakura always enjoyed watching Kirita fight, her swordsmanship always one to admire. She was quick, each movement precise and swift. She always had the intention to kill without suffering, showing mercy even to those that did not deserve it but this time she did not kill any. Even though Sakura never killed a man, she had witnessed many deaths to know that sometimes they were necessary.

Bandits weren't always viewed as people to be given mercy. Most of them were rapist, savage killers and thieves that preyed upon the weak and defenseless. They used their numbers to hurt people in the most brutal of ways. The things they would do to peaceful villages always left a heart heavy. Once Kirita manage to leave the man with no one to come at his rescue, she approached the both of them as Sakura continued to keep in him in a deadlock. Kirita pointed the tip of her blade to the back of his throat, wishing he would do so something, especially harm the pink-haired female.

Sakura let him go, kicking his knee in the process before quickly joining Kirita's side. The ring leader of the bandits gazed at all his fallen comrades upon turning around while holding his knee, his eyes raged with a storm. If they didn't kill him then he would want vengeance, but who is to say that he would find them once they entered the castle? It would be easier to kill him now but they could always watch him beg for mercy and hope that he would repent for his sins.

"What do you want? You expect me to beg for my life 'cause I ain't." His cockiness didn't sit well with Kirita and it only served to annoy Sakura.

"You put yourself in this position by messing with us!" Haruno yelled at him, her hand balled into a tight fist.

"Heh, you rich folk love to look down on us but if you think I'm gonna beg and cry to a couple of girls, you'll die waiting."

Kirita and Sakura glanced at one another, the warrior wondering if Sakura would give him mercy. "Just leave. I think that's enough for today." Sakura nodded, "I have to hurry home and I'd rather not waste any more of my time here."

Kirita withdrew the sword upon Sakura's mercy, deciding not to kill the bandit leader. It was best they leaved anyway, they didn't want to still be there when the rest awoke. Sakura walked past the man, going back towards the carriage that was supposed to be waiting for them but was gone. Her eyes widened upon realization and before she could warn Kirita, gunfire had erupted in the air.

It happened so quick, her body touching the ground as Kirita covered her. The bandit beside them had fallen on the ground, dead, with a bullet in-between his eyes. Her green eyes had widened in fear at the sight as Kirita continued to shield her before standing and placing her hand back onto her sword handle.

"I'd stay still if I were you."

A young man with straight white hair that hovered slightly above his shoulders with a light-blue tint to it had stood before them. The gun's barrel with smoke emitted from it, rubbing the side of his head as if to scratch the area of his scalp that itched. His purple eyes soon revealed themselves to them as his grin soon followed, showing his pointed teeth.

Sakura stood behind Kirita, who was continuing to shield her. Despite having a gun, he also carried a rather large sword that was massive and broad with two cuts built into it;a circle close to the stop and a semi-circular one near the handle of the sword, which meant it was fit for decapitation. The handle was long and from what Kiita could gather, it was meant for two hands which made her feel she would have more of an advantage in swordplay.

"What do you want?" Sakura questioned, peering from behind Kirita's shoulder. "What do you want with us?"

The young man sighed, "I want nothin' to do with ya but I was hired to take ya."

"Who hired you?" Kirita immediately questioned.

Shrugging his shoulders, he glanced at the gun in his hand. "To be honest, I don't feel like givin' all that information." Kirita never fought against a gun before and she wasn't sure if she was quick enough to attack him or make him draw his sword. "You know, as I was watching, you're pretty good with a sword and you know, I love challenges."

From the way he spoke, they could guarantee that he wasn't someone to mess around with no matter what weapon he had. However, the young warrior was not afraid. "I refuse to let you kidnap her." She didn't want to say Sakura's name because she wasn't sure what his whole purpose was of kidnapping her. Was he kidnapping her because of who she was or for other reasons?

"Good, I didn't expect for it to be easy, seein' that she's a princess and all." He knew. He knew exactly who she was and that was the whole reasoning for the kidnapping.

Kirita's eyes narrowed, her blue eyes icing over. She would not give the princess up without a fight, even if that meant she had to die in the process. "Drop your gun and it'll be a battle of the blades."

Tilting his head back to flash his smirk, he placed one hand on his hip as his gun stayed in his right hand. "Heh, a battle of the blades, huh? Who am I to turn such an offer down, but sadly… I was given a time limit. You see, this place is gonna go to hell in a few hours and I really don't want to be in the middle of it."

"Go to hell? Do you mean…?" Kirita's eyes widened upon realization, "They are marching to the castle?!"

"Gonna have Kizashi's head on a silver platter by the end of the night if things go right. And all of this piece of shit of land will be ours." He said, not so enthusiastically but more so matter-of-factly as if he didn't care and he was sure of what was to happen.

Looking over her shoulder, the princess was mortified and infuriated by his words. Her hands kept balling and unballing, her eyes becoming glassy with hot, unshed tears. She knew she had to protect her father but at the same time, she was in a position where if she moved then she would receive a bullet.

Seeing the princess in such distress angered Kirita but she had to play it safe and not on her emotions. "Sakura-hime…" Her voice was soft and it made Sakura tear her eyes away from their would be captor and towards her, "I'm going to attack him, and as I do so, I want you to run."

"Kirita…"

"Don't argue with me. Please, just this time, listen to me and run. Kizashi-sama is more important than I am. You have to protect him, don't you?" She made it to so hard to argue with her, and even more difficult to leave her. He had a gun, and she was sure that Kirita would… "On the count of three,"

Tears had finally manage to slip, running down the porcelain cheeks of the pink-haired girl.

"One…" Kirita tightened her hands around the sword's hilt, "Two…" Sakura took a step back, ready to turn and run. "Three!"

As soon as Sakura dashed off, she noticed they were surrounded. There were samurai, some on horses and others who weren't. "Whoa, what is this? You trying to get in my way? Bad plan, pal?"

Turning back around, she noticed that there was someone in front of Kirita. A boy of blond, spiky hair that was wielding a naginata. To their left there was a dark-haired boy and to their right, there was a husky boy with long, spiky brown hair. They were surrounded, by people that were protecting them.

"Bad plan for you, but a good plan for me!" said the blond. Despite all of his bravado, however, there was still too much distance between him and the boy with a gun. With the gun's advantage…

"Ha! C'mon, it doesn't take a genius to figure out you're screwed here! No way can you close this distance before I put one in ya."

The boy didn't say anything, instead, he moved. In a swift motion, the blond swept his foot across the ground, throwing up a small cloud of dust, and launching a small rock straight at the sharp-teeth boy's gun. "Try again, smartass! Thought you had me, huh?!"

Cocky, wasn't he?

"Ha! Nice!"

Was this really the time for them to be complimenting and insulting each other? However, her eyes were glued to the blond as the potential threat dodged the rock, and in that moment, where his gun wavered off his target, the blond samurai charged.

They froze, mirrored images of one another, each with a weapon posed to deliver a killing blow. The blond's naginata's, sharp blade pointing at the center of the other's head, and the sharp-teeth boy's gun at the center of the other's head.

The intensity rolled off them like waves washing against the shore or like heat from a roaring furnace. Even their faces were mirrored: each with a grin as playful as can be, it was almost as if they were only friends having fun. "That gun's not just for show, right? Why don't you just pull that trigger and put me down?" Before the other could reply, he was elbowed in the head by a tall, silver-haired man and knocked unconscious. "Kakashi-sensei, you ruined all the fun!"

"Fun? Who was having fun? Just you as you tried to show off in front of the princess?" Kakashi questioned. Annoyed and embarrassed that he had been found out, he rubbed the back of his head before slowly turning to look at the pink-haired girl with a dramatic blush going across his cheekbones.

"Ah, are you okay, Sakura-hime?" He had asked, making the girl shake her head to register what was happening and fully look at him. She really didn't want to imagine what would've happened if the silver-haired samurai had not intervened.

"I'm fine…" She muttered, her green eyes meeting the bright blue of the samurai before her. His whole presence gave her a sense of ease despite the childish glint in his eyes. She still annoyed that in the face of possible death of her friend and herself, he was too busy having fun. She was grateful but her emotions weren't in the right place.

Kakashi then walked forward, Kirita's guard only lowering slightly. "I am Hatake, Kakashi and I am a General of the Namikaze clan. We were sent to help Kizashi-sama in battle."

Now fully awake, Sakura's mouth parted and immediately uttered what the odd, gun-wielding boy had told her. "That guy informed me that there would be a march to the castle! Please, we need to hurry and notify my father and make sure that he is safe."

In a hurry, Kakashi had nodded and ushered for a horse to be sent their way, He then looked to Naruto, "Naruto, ride with Sakura-hime."

"I'm fully capable of riding the horse by myself—" She began to say but was interrupted.

"I know that, Sakura-hime, but in case we are attacked, I cannot leave you open. His naginata will bring greater protection." He informed her, which made a lot of sense. She nodded understandingly and walked towards the horse that was brought to the boy known as Naruto.

Her green eyes glanced towards him as he offered to lift her onto the horse. Defiantly, she climbed up the horse with ease and turned away, waiting for him to do the same so they can leave. His face fell in disappointment, wondering if he had ruined what he wanted to be his ultimate, good impression.

Adjusting himself on the horse, he looked over his shoulder to see that her arms were still folded. "Uh, it would be best if you, uh…"

"Hold onto you? I don't trust you. You hold onto the person if you trust them and after you played around with piranha boy over there, I most certainly do not trust you." Her bark was loud and he was sure her bite was as well. He gulped and nodded, not wanting to argue and get himself further on her bad side.

His head was hung low, Naruto could kick himself for the way how he had gotten her so angry. Kirita, meanwhile, was escorted onto the general's horse. She didn't feel quite comfortable, but she knew it had to be done and he promised that Naruto would ride alongside him so that Sakura would remain in her sight.

Naruto, despite not wanting to feel the girl's wrath, continuously tried to tell the princess that they would be riding quickly and for safety purposes, it was best she held onto him. Her stubbornness was working against him and he knew that there was no way she would listen. Kakashi had readied everyone with a signal, making sure that everyone who was not a fast runner had horses and the quick runners were on their feet.

Due to Sasuke being both a ninja and samurai, he was an effortless runner; he could outrun the horses if he very well wanted to. He looked towards Naruto and the disgruntled princess, deciding to intervene before the girl went flying off the horse.

"Sakura-hime," Green had met onyx, her eyes hard but her features softening some. "Hold onto Naruto or else you'll be reaching for air."

Surprised by his obnoxiousness, her mouth gaped opened to speak but he had already turned away from her to get ready for the run. Reluctantly, her arms hesitantly circled around the blond's torso. Instantly, the boy beamed upon the closeness of their bodies, his face flushing a shade of red upon the action.

"Wipe that stupid look off your face or else." She warned as she peered at his face from over his shoulder, he immediately tried to fix his expression but he couldn't muster the strength to wipe the stupid grin off his face.

Kakashi gave the order and they sped off, Sasuke's speed matching Naruto's horse, if not only just a little bit faster. Saika castle wasn't far and so there wasn't much to worry as far as them getting there, but they didn't know when the attack would happen.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its character.

Author's Note: Sorry I'm late. Internet still sucks. I am gonna die from this internet.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four:<strong>

The Plannings

* * *

><p>The boy with the dark hair that had suggested she held onto the blond ninja did have a point; holding onto him was a wise decision despite how she currently felt about him. They were going as fast as the horse could go, and there were plenty of times where Sakura felt like she would fall off the horse. Her arms remained locked around the boy in front of her, her left hand wrapped around her right arm's wrist and her head pressed his upper back, just near the shoulders.<p>

_'He smells pretty nice.'_ Due to being in such close proximity, it was hard not to let her nostrils be filled with his scent. It was strange however that his scent reminded her of sunflowers. Warm, inviting, and an odd way… bright. Her eyes occasionally looked up at his face, noticing he was fully paying attention to the road ahead. It was then that she was finally able to drink up his features.

His skin was a nearly tan, a bit more so peach and not too dark. Across his cheek were three whisker marks, six in total since there were three on each side. It seemed to be part of him than war make up. Some people came up with crazy ideas of war makeup, clothing, and helmets just to make them stand out so that you remember them. His eyes were a piercing blue, reminding of her the deep waters that you would believed stretched on forever. And his hair, it was bright; a bright yellow and most certainly spiky. From her observation, he had features that were hard to forget. _'Naruto… That's his name, right?'_

After being so intrigued by his appearance, she hadn't notice the horse slowing down and then eventually stopped. "Sakura-hime."

Kirita's voice broke her out of her concentration as the girl's hand was extended to her, to help her down. Before Sakura could take it, Naruto had intervened. "I can do it!"

The female warrior's eyes glanced towards his direction, raising a brow before lowering her arms. It surprised Sakura that Kirita trusted him. Naruto slid down off his horse first before raising his arms to her, "You can trust me, Sakura-chan."

"Chan?" Sakura was a bit turned off by the dismissal of her princess rank. What gave him the right to feel so friendly and use that honorific? It didn't matter however since he then grabbed onto her small waist, hoisting her up off the horse and placing her gently down to her feet.

Her eyes immediately locked on his, her fist balled and her ire rising. This boy was… _'Annoying.'_

"Sakura-hime, we should hurry."

He most certainly had a way to make her shift her attention. The most important thing was to see her father, but he kept making her distracted. Nodding, Kirita held onto Sakura's wrist and they had ran, Kakashi, Sasuke, and Naruto as well as the rest of the samurai and ninjas had followed behind them.

Everything looked fine. The village surrounded the castle was going on about their usual day, the gurards that surrounded the gates and did rounds in the village seemed relaxed and unnerved. When they had reached the main gate, the guards were surprised to see the princess. "Sakura-hime? W-What are you doing here?"

"Nevermind what I am doing here, I need to see my father immediately!" Kirita had felt her heart skip when she heard the guards questioning why she was in the village, and she wasn't sure why Sakura hadn't picked up on it yet. Maybe she did but she didn't want to argue about it at the moment.

They fumbled around before opening the gates, letting her and the others through while carefully inspecting them. They were already given a heads up about Minato's men and so they safely assumed it to be them. Kakashi had approached once guard however with a samurai holding the gun-wielding boy they encountered earlier. "He's our captive. He tried to kidnap Sakura-hime and I'm sure that Kizashi-sama would like to interrogate him."

Giving him a firm nod, they took the captive to take him to the prisons while Kakashi turned his men. "Shikamaru, Choji, Naruto, Sasuke, and I will attend the meeting." He warned the rest of them, "The rest of you will get ready if there's an attack. We will be protecting Kizashi-sama and Sakura-hime."

He could hear groans of disapproval through some, but most of them had given promise that they would do well to protect the castle. Feeling confident, Kakashi left them and headed his way back inside to keep up with the group that entered Saika castle before him.

Naruto's eyes scanned the place, noticing how luxurious it was. It was no wonder that so many people deemed the place beautiful, it most certainly was. There was a lot of art and sculptures around too, some of them looked foreign as well. Although, he was pretty sure he was told about Kizashi's love for foreign art.

The halls were quiet, only the sound of feet could be heard. Their shoes would be removed soon enough and they had interested the large meet room where Kizashi sat on a high floor with his eyes peering down on a table.

"Chichi-ue!"

Sakura's voice broke the silence and within seconds, Kizashi's transfixed expression had softened and turned to shock. His eyes looked up at his daughter, who walked towards him. "Sakura?! What are you doing here? I sent you to China to—"

Kirita's eyes immediately went to Sakura's form to see her expression. There was hurt, some confusion with a hint of anger. She knew she couldn't hide this forever. "That's not important right now!" Sakura's hand balled up into a fist, "I was almost kidnapped by a guy who said that there will be a march to the castle within a few hours."

"A march within a few hours?" Kizashi rubbed his chin, wondering how could that be. The lands that they owned that it would take for them to travel to reach the castle hadn't reported any suspicious activities. He kept up with all the watchtower men for days. They hadn't reported anything. "That guy was bluffing."

Kakashi wasn't all to sure about that himself, but he stepped forward in efforts to help. "We have the kidnapper captive, Kizashi-sama. If you wish to interrogate him then you may."

The Damiyo looked at his daughter and then at Kakashi, before sighing and nodding. "Did he say where he was from?"

"No, but it is to be assured that he works under Orochimaru."

**::**

The winds were heavy, which was usually the omen of a formidable fight nearing. It only served to make the man that was standing upon a hill with nearly twelve-thousand samurais standing behind him more confident in the battle that was up ahead. His waist-length hair that waved along with the wind as his golden, slit eyes gazed upon Saika castle in the distance.

"Orochimaru-sama, they've captured Suigetsu."

Looking over his shoulder, the young man that had given him the news knelt before him with his head lowered and eyes closed. "Kija, were you not informed that was part of the plan?"

The young man's eyed immediately opened, his head tilting back so he could fully look at the Damiyo before him. "Part of the plan? I-I was unaware!"

"Yes, Suigetsu was supposed to be captured." Orochimaru looked away from the young man before looking ahead. "He's just unaware of that himself. We've already infiltrated the fief, we've got our own men at the watchpost and slowly, one by one, they're getting rid of every samurai that guards the castle. We'll be able to enter without any trouble."

"Then what's the use of bringing all our men here?" Kija questioned, unsure what the point was when the threat wouldn't even be that significant.

Orochimaru was quiet for a few minutes before conjuring up an answer, "His allies are worth twelve-thousand men. He's gotten the Yamanaka clan, the Inuzuka clan, the Yuki clan, and a few others on his side. He's even got the Empress on his side."

"The Empress? Empress Tsunade?! If we attack then—"

"She'll be adamant about destroying us? Yes, that is true."

Kija's eyes lowered, not understanding why Orochimaru was willing to risk so much. More importantly, he did not like the idea that the empress was against them. "Then what are you trying to do?"

"You, Hajime, and Suigetsu will be my main use of destroying Kizashi." Orochimaru explained, "It won't take a large army to defeat Kizashi, but you three will be more than enough. I want to destroy his morale, I won't be taking him down just yet."

**::**

As the day continued on and messenger birds were sent, Kakashi kept the samurai and ninjas at a state where they could not overlook anything. Anything that seemed suspicious had to be dealt with immediately. After some arguing and Kirita having to expose the truth of the letter's forgery, Kizashi, with much reluctance, decided to let his daughter join them in preparations but did not okay her being in battle. It was a small step, but it was a step that Sakura was willing to take because she knew that she was going to join anyway despite what he said. Kirita was to remain at her side as usual and was heavily lectured to stay near the samurai.

"Sakura-hime, I don't know if you'll ever find it in your heart to forgive me for what I've done…" Kneeling, Kirita's head was pressed to the ground as she had apologized for the past hour, repeatedly.

Of course she was angry, but she knew that her grandfather and Kirita's heart was in the right place. She found it hard to continue to be furious but she was not completely over the trick. "Kirita-chan, it's alright. Raise yourself."

Unsure if Sakura had fully forgiven her, she kept her head lowered as she slowly got to her feet. "What I did was unforgivable, I deceived you and—"

"You only wanted me to be happy. I know what you were trying to do." It relieved her just a little that Sakura understood but understanding wasn't simply enough.

The stars filled the dark skies as the only source of light came from them and the torches that were lit up around the base of the fief's entry that they guarded. Kakashi remained calm, reading a book while leaning against the wall while glancing around to see if others were doing their job and if there was anything to be picked up on.

"How could he be so relaxed? There might be an all-out war, which might turn out to be a kessen ( decisive battle )?" questioned the princess, unsure if she should berate the man for his lax attitude.

Kirita glanced towards Sakura and then back at the silver-haired samurai, "Hatake-san is one of the most skilled warriors of our time, Sakura-hime. It is because he does not lose his cool under pressure that gives samurai high morale. They trust him and it makes them relax instead of constantly worry about the war. Imagine, if a general is stress out? How do you think the samurai under him will feel?"

It made sense, everything that Kirita had said just then. Sakura's green orbs looked towards the female beside her as the girl looked at the general with admiration. "You seem to know quite a bit about him. Tell me, Kirita-chan, is it because you like him?"

"Like him?" The girl snapped out of her transfixed gaze and immediately looked towards Sakura, who had a rather playful smirk on her face. "I-I do not! I admire him and his work ethics!"

"I'm sure that's not all you admire."

"Sakura-hime!"

Just seeing the flustered face of the girl before her was enough to ease Sakura's worry just a little. "Sakura-chan!"

Both females looked towards their right to see the blond samurai. Kirita's face softened as Sakura's face twisted in aggravation, "I told you to stop calling me that! I am a princess! I am Sakura-hime to _you_."

"Ah, sorry sorry!" Slowly, yet without hesitation, he inched towards her and held her wrist. "Are you hungry? We're gathering around to eat, you should join us!"

"Uhm, I don't think that's a good idea." Kirita intervened as the emerald irises of the princess began to flare up in anger yet again.

Naruto glanced over to Kirita, his smile not faltering. "You can join us too!"

"Who says I want to eat with you in the first place?!" Naruto cringed slightly as Sakura's voice was raised, her arm slipping through his hand as she yanked it back to her side. "Don't touch me, and don't call me chan."

It seemed that Naruto had a habit of getting on her bad side, so much that Kirita felt sorry for him. "Sakura-hime, it would be wise to eat with them. You should get to know more about about the men that are fighting for you, your father, and your people."

Her eyes instantly widened before glaring at Naruto. Kirita had a point, these men were putting their lives on the line for her. It would be rude to not get to know them, to properly thank them, and to speak with each of them.

Naruto was surprised by Kirita's interference, even getting so much as a quick smile from her to let him know that she was helping him. He hid his grin, his eyes resting on the princess that seemed to be contemplating on whether or not she wanted to do it.

"If you don't want to Sakura-cha-, I mean Sakura-hime, then you don't have to." The defeat in his voice startled the princess for a few minutes since this short time she had known him, he seemed so adamant in capturing her attention. He even went as far as correcting himself…

Her emerald eyes looked into his blue ones as if to question why he seemed so fascinated by her. Was it because she was a princess? He was a samurai, right? He must've had a princess in his lands or known one at least, didn't he?

"Fine," She huffed out, "it's all for my father and my people. That's it." She made it clear that she did not do this for Naruto, but for herself.

The boy's smile was bright, almost feeling relieved that she joined him even if it wasn't _for_ him. He aimed to grab her wrist again but stopped himself before turning around and leading the way.

Kirita walked diligently beside the princess as they followed him to the dining hall. Once they reached it, Sakura's eyes scanned each of the men before looking towards the corner, where three boys stood out. One of them was the dark-haired boy from earlier. She felt a bit uncomfortable since she knew that she might not be in his good favor either, which might result in a disastrous meal.

"You're late." said Sasuke, who had his eyes closed while a small bowl of rice rested in his palm.

"S-Sakura-hime!" Choji announced, immediately bowing upon seeing her. Her smile somewhat rested his anxiety as he made Shikamaru bow his head by forcing his head down. Sasuke's eyes opened halfway, casually glancing up to see the princess, her bodyguard, and a beaming Naruto. He hadn't bothered to greet her, instead he focused back on his meal. This only served to make her believe that this might end as she originally thought.

"I invited Sakura-cha—hime, to eat with us. I hope that's okay." Naruto placed a cloth down on floor beside him, giving her a clean seat to sit upon. It had placed her awkwardly between himself and Sasuke, which made Sakura feel a bit anxious. "Choji, did you eat without us?"

"Yeah, you're late!" He yelled, "You oughta apologize to my stomach! He wanted to dig in, but I said, 'No, we're gotta wait for Naruto' but then it finally gave up! You're the reason why my stomach was crying."

As Choji lectured to Naruto about his hungriness and lateness, Sasuke glanced at Naruto, who seemed preoccupied in preparing the Haruno princess a bowl. The boy hadn't ate himself, but he was making sure that the princess had something to eat first.

"Man, there's barely enough here to feed a kid, let alone a man. So I'll have to… take yours!" Choji snatched a piece of beef out of Shikamaru's bowl, he was given an angry glare but also a defeated attitude. "Survival of the fittest! This food is mine!"

Shikamaru sighed, "Why do you always have to steal _my_ food?"

"Ahahahaha! It's 'cause of the difference in size. I got a bigger body. That means I need more food!" The logic was silly, but it had a little bit of truth.

Naruto turned to Sakura, who was watching the arguing friends. "Sorry you had to see this, Sakura-hime. They're always like this." He tried to apologize.

She shook her head, smiling a little. "It's fine. I find it… entertaining."

"Kirita-san, why aren't you eating?" asked the Akimichi, noticing the girl sitting with a smile.

"Oh, I ate a little before I joined you all. I'm good. If I get too full then I start getting slow."

"Hey! What do ya mean slow? Ah whatever, I'm taking that!" His chopsticks clasped on another piece of meat, adding it to his rice with glee.

"Go for it." Kirita cheered him on, "I wish I had a little sake to sip."

"Sake?" Shikamaru questioned, "Just how old are you, Kirita-san?"

The girl laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head. "I look young, don't I? I'm twenty-one." She answered, leaving the boys ( except for Sasuke ) in shock.

"Really? Twenty-one?! You look like you're the same age as Sakura-hime!" Naruto pointed at her with his chopsticks, still in disbelief.

"I guess that a compliment?" Her nervous laughed rung into the air.

Sakura had sat back in observed, watching the group have fun with dinner. They were such a strange group of young men, but she realized just how long it had been since she ate with company. It was rare to eat in a group, especially with friends. It never really dawned on her that she never had anyway. Maybe it was because Kirita was always by her side that she never realized just how lonely it was being the only child and a princess. That's what made this moment frightening yet exhilarating. And the only person to thank for that was… "Sakura-hime, are you full? Would you like some water?"

He was attentive as expected since he invited her over here. The corner of her lips twitched slightly as the chopsticks lingered in her mouth before she pulled them out, "I'm fine, uh, Naruto."

It left him in shock that she had said his name, it was the first time she did. His eyes glistened with happiness as a large grin appeared on his face, "If you ever, uh, need anything then let me know, dattebayo."

"Datte…bayo? Sakura repeated, surprised by the phrase.

"Uh, yeah, it's just somethin' I say." He tried to explain without fully explaining.

Shikamaru then added, "Yeah, he says it all the time. I guess you can call it his catchphrase."

"A catchphrase, huh?" The thought lingered in her mind before she placed another small, clump of rice in her mouth. She ate in a petite fashion as a princess should, which seemed to keep the blond marveled. She was a princess through and through, he was for certain. He then opened his mouth to speak, Sakura catching the action but he had recoiled back as if to keep his question to himself. "What is it?"

"Well, uh…" Rubbing the back of his head, he then straightened up. "Why do you want to fight so badly, Sakura-hime?"

His question certainly caught her off guard, she wasn't expecting that at all. Her eyes stared straight at him in disbelief. Kirita, Shikamaru, Choji, and Sasuke had also turned to look at her as if they were all curious of her answer.

"I want to fight because…" The words lingered upon her lips, her eyes softening but then hardening as she tried to put the words in order. "I am the only child, which means I am the future of the Haruno clan. I will one day marry, as expected of me, but what if my father does not live to see it? Even if he does and the clan gets passed down onto me, shouldn't I know how to fight? To protect myself and my clan? You're all made to be samurai because some day you will lead your clan. You will know the ins and outs of war because of experience, shouldn't I have that experience? Shouldn't I lead my clan even if I am a female or not? The Empress is a woman, a single woman, and she leads exceptionally and I want to do the same."

Her speech, the determination in her voice and the fire burning in her eyes from her unstoppable will was enough to leave Naruto in awe. Kirita smiled upon the words, proud of the girl that she had known for many years. Sakura was strong, she had always been strong but she had yet to solidify her strength.

"I know it is because I am a woman that I will not get the respect I deserve." She nodded, "But I will not let anyone doubt me because I am a woman. I have something to prove, I am a person that should be feared, and the people within my fiefdom mean everything to me. I will continue to protect them. I will give them strength and I will give them hope."

In some ways, Sakura had reminded him of his mother. His mother used to be a warrior herself and she had protected the Uzumaki clan with all her might before she married his father and joined the clans together. He wondered if he and Sakura could do the same, but that was only wishful thinking. He knew, as of now, his feelings were not returned.

"Sakura-hime…" The princess looked up at him, wondering if he was going to dismiss all she said. Her father always did and she wasn't sure any man had any faith in a woman aspiring such future for herself. "I think you're one of the strongest and bravest woman I know."

It was then her heart fluttered. Brave? Strong? Did he really admire all that she said? Her eyes wanted to well up with tears, thankful that someone had believed in her for a moment, but that quickly died when screams erupted in the air.

Immediately, Naruto stood beside Sakura while Kirita remained in front of them. "I think we're being attacked." Choji said, grabbing his sword.

"Yeah, no duh." Shikamaru sarcastically replied, "Naruto, keep the princess safe. Sasuke, are you going to stick with Naruto and the princess?"

Both Kirita and Naruto glanced towards the Uchiha, who seemed quite nonchalant but also prepared for battle. He looked towards Naruto with a smug smile, "Can you handle it by yourself?"

"Of course." Naruto replied just as smugly.

Sasuke nodded, "I'll join you and Choji in the battlefield." He told Shikamaru, letting the three leave as samurai came flooding out of the dining hall and leaving just Kirita, Sakura, and Naruto behind.

"I'll protect the front doors." Kirita turned towards them, Naruto nodding as the girl left and went to the dining entrance hall.

"What's going on? I said I wanted to fight too!" Sakura grew frustrated as the boy turned to look at her, "Why am I stuck here?!"

Naruto sighed, "It's different if we were going out to meet them but we don't know what's going on outside. We can't just let you fight in the middle of chaos, Sakura-hime."

The doors of the dining hall had fell, Kirita flying into the room and hitting back wall before falling to the floor. "Kirita-chan!" The princess yelled but then felt her arm being pulled, her back pressed against a warm chest and a blade at her throat.

Her eyes frantically met with Naruto, who had his naginata in his hand. His eyes were calm, confident, and warm. Even quite literally in the grip of the enemy as she was, his gaze made her feel safe somehow. She knew, right then and there, she would be fine.

Her eyes looked towards the corners to see the face of the man holding her hostage. He was young, probably seventeen or eighteen, and had magenta hair that framed his face and reached the back of his neck. It was straight but spiky at the ends.

Another person was beside him, who went unnoticed by Naruto and Sakura. His hair was a golden blond, pulled up in a high ponytail with bangs that covered his forehead and sides of his face. "I have taken care of the men at the gate." He announced to her captor.

"Already?" Both Naruto and Sakura looked to their right to see the familiar face of her kidnapper from earlier. Suigetsu had freed himself from his cell, walking nonchalantly into the empty dining hall. "Man, this's all way too easy. It's boring. I was hoping for a little more excitement, you know?" He then looked towards the princess, who was inches away from Hajime's blade. "Hey, look at that, Hajime. You got her. Let's go."

"Indeed." Kija sighed, "The longer we remain, the more likely it becomes that the situation will escalate out of our control."

"Ah, yes, you're right." Hajime nodded, agreeing.

"Man, gotta say, I was expecting at least a little more than this. Course, they are only idiots. Guess this is the best Haruno can do." Suigetsu's laughter was cut short by Naruto's naginata.

"I'm a little pissed that you guys are doing all this yappin' and just ignoring me!" The boy grinned.

"Oh… Hello, Naruto." Suigetsu greeted with much enthusiasm.

"Don't move, Sakura." As Naruto spoke, his naginata shot forward, slipping through the air only inches away from her body. With a tiny sneer, Hajime's hand snapped out to catch the naginata before Naruto could pull it back.

"You thought you could defeat me with that?" Hajime questioned, almost insulted by such actions.

"I thought you were fighting me?" Sakura and Naruto looked over to Sasuke, who held his sword in a tight grip. He wasn't all too pleased at the fact as his opponent slipped away from him. He joined Naruto's side and readied himself.

Out of nowhere, Sasuke's sword swept down towards Hajime. Hajime had let go of the naginata and spun to avoid Sasuke's strike, but in doing so he had lost his hold onto Sakura. Slumping towards the ground as Kirita had recovered to join Naruto and Sasuke for the attack to hold Hajime back. "Don't move!"

Hajime's eyes narrowed, ready to snarl. "Filth…" He brushed aside a second blow from Sasuke, and strike from Naruto.

"You bleed when you're cut, right?" Sasuke questioned with a smirk, "So if I chop off your head, I figure you'll die too."

"Care to test that?" asked Hajime.

"Yeah… I think I do." The sound of steel meeting steel rung in the air, Sakrua managed to stand by the help of Naruto, who placed her behind him.

"I fail to grasp your behavior." Kija said as he prepared him, having no weapon and only using his fist. "Why fight when you know you cannot win?"

"Who says we're not gonna win?" Naruto questioned as he watched Kirita move herself towards Kija, already claiming her opponent.

Kirita then nodded, "Right, and it looks like I'm your fight tonight!"

"I would… rather not. But you give me no choice, it seems." Kija's fist looked as if it moved nearly as fast as a cannonball but Kirita managed to deflect it with the back of her blade.

Despite Hajime losing his hold on Sakura, it was clear he wasn't ready on giving up on taking her just yet. The dining hall had echoed with the sound of steel on steel as blades leapt forward, met, and flew apart.

"Naruto! You're mine!" Suigetsu made clear as his gun was pointed towards Naruto. The tip of the gun drifted and weaved, trying to get in a good shot of the blond, but they were both in almost constant motion, making that shot practically impossible. "Gah, piss off!"

Naruto laughed rather cockily, "My spear and your gun are pretty evenly matched, huh? Catch me if you can!"

"You must _reeeeeeeeeeally_ wanna get filled full of holes, huh?" Suigetsu was determined despite the battle not being in his favor.

Kija had then noticed, hearing the sound of samurai heading towards the dining hall. "Hajime, our enemy has regrouped and grew."

"Then we've had enough fun for one night. We can take her any time we like." With a short nod to one another, Hajime and Kija left the dining hall, leaping over the large gates and disappeared.

"Heh heh heh…" The white-haired foe seemed to be really amused, "You're a real kidder, Naruto. Trying to fight me with just that little naginata of yours. Looks like we'll have to settle this at a later date. Hopefully we'll actually be able to finish next time. I want to fight until one of us dies."

And with that, Suigetsu was gone.

Sakura's body had gone limp as the tension disappeared. A quiet sigh of relief escaped her lips. Maybe hand-to-hand combat wasn't suited for war. Maybe picking up a weapon was the wiser decision. Falling to her knees from the weakness of it all, Kirita's eyes widened but her body froze when Naruto knelt down.

"You okay?" He asked Sakura, "You were really brave."

Her eyes looked up to find his smiling face in front of her own. She wanted to yell at him, tell him that she was all bark and no bite. How could she give a speech about fighting but froze when that sword was in front of her? She should've fought, she shouldn't have to be saved by him for a second time. What did she do that was brave?

"Naruto…" It was the only thing she could say. If she said anything more, she was afraid she'd burst into tears, and so instead she gave him a shaky smile. With a grin, he rested his hand on her shoulder and give it a tight squeeze. "Naruto… Thank you."

"I'm just sorry I couldn't free you sooner." Her eyes widened, surprised that he felt like there was more than he could've done.

"No, no… You saved me, after all. You don't need to apologize." Despite feeling guilty for having feeling saved, she wasn't going to let Naruto feel guilty for anything.

"Hey, don't gimme that face!" He teased, "You helped us out, dattebayo"

Perplexed, she rose a brow. "How?"

"You believed in us, and stayed put. That gave us the ability we needed to drive 'em off."

"Naruto…"

"Any guy feels like he's fighting for justice when he's protecting a lady. We did our best because of you, Sakura-hime. Sasuke, Kirita, Shikamaru, Choji, Kakashi… We were at our best out there because of _you_."

To protect her…

"So I don't want you thinking you're making trouble for us or somethin' like that. Thanks, Sakura-hime."

She couldn't help it. The tears began to pour, sliding down her face as she tried to keep her smile. "...Thank you, Naruto."

He held a hand to help her up, and by the time she was back on her feet, she was smiling from ear to ear. "Good, now you can practice and sleep soundly, knowing that we're here to protect you, no matter what!"

He still believed that she could fight, which made her heart pound faster. Her hand clutched at the top of her kimono to calm it, "Yes, I will." With a grin and a wave of his arm, Naruto allowed Kirita to escort Sakura back to the castle.

"Kirita-chan, I think it's time I learn to use a weapon." Sakura said the warrior beside her.

"Which one, Sakura-hime?"

"I think... a bow and arrow."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its character.

Author's Note: I literally do not know who I'm gonna officially pair half these characters with since I'm such a multi-shipper with almost all of them. Lol. Also, this is a very short chapter and I apologize for the long absence. Internet is pretty cray and I'm lucky to have done this much with how much it keeps acting up.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five:<strong>

Insight

* * *

><p>The training grounds were filled with samurais, spars being held between the men in friendly competition. Kakashi, however, stayed put and watched his own samurai play around with the Haruno clan men. They were taking it easy since the night of the attack. There were no signs of Orochimaru and his army, which made Kakashi feel uncomfortable. What was delaying the attack? And why were they still after Sakura? At first, he had seen it as a ploy to kidnap her to lure Kizashi, but was it more than that?<p>

"Ah, Hatake-sama!"

His eyes peered down at the young woman who was always at Sakura's side. It was unusual to see her without the princess in tow. "Ah…" He paused, just realizing he didn't know her name. "Uh… excuse me, but I don't know your name."

"Oh!" Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, the girl straightened up a bit as her eyes looked toward the ground. "My name is Koizumi Kirita."

A small smile appeared under his mask, "Nice to meet you, Kirita-san."

Feeling small under his gaze, she tried to give him eye contact but did not keep it for long. "I-I admire you. I mean, I've heard a lot about you and, uhm, I hope to be just a fraction of how skilled you are."

"There's not much to admire." Despite feeling complimented by her admiration, he couldn't help but feel that he didn't deserve it.

"No! B-but there is!" She held up her hands, taking offense of how he was downplaying his accomplishments; how his name alone had radiated power.

In the distance, Sakura watched the female warrior who seemed unlike herself. She never seen Kirita unnerved or timid in behavior. It only made her assume that Kirita admired the man a great deal. Even so, she knew that she would have to start Kyūdō practice soon so that she could be more active in the battlefield.

Her eyes then scanned the area for one person in particular, who wasn't hard to find once you catch sight of his bright colored hair. The corner of her lips tugged upward when she saw him and Sasuke apparently squaring off. Sakura wondered if it was a good idea to greet them or having any type of lax behavior was the right decision.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun. Naruto."

Naruto's head whipped towards her, flashing his usual and cheerful grin while Sasuke's eyes lazily greeted hers.

"Mornin' Sakura-hime!" How could one have such energy in the morning? She could never guess but she figured that a hyper Naruto was the only sort of Naruto she had known in the past few days.

Walking towards them she had looked at Naruto's naginata and then towards Sasuke's sword, "How's the sparring?"

"We didn't get started yet." Naruto said before looking at his best friend and rival, "_Someone_ is being grouchy."

With an elegant sniff, the dark-haired male rolled his eyes. "That's because someone woke me at the crack of dawn."

"That's how early you usually wake!"

"Not after a fight like last night."

They stared each other down, the tension between the two like lightning sparks. Sakura let out a rather strange laugh, feeling seemingly nervous by the odd atmosphere.

"I-I would like to challenge you to duel, Hatake-sama!"

Everyone had gone quiet and looked towards the general and the female warrior, wondering what brought this on. Also, nobody had ever seen Kakashi fight before and so they were curious if he would even entertain the idea.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kirita-san. It's not that I doubt your abilities but―"

"Please!" She bowed her head lower, "It would be an honor to spar against you."

Kakashi's eyes didn't wander to the spectators but were solely focused on the woman in front of him. His mind danced with the idea, a tired sigh escaping him. "It is hard to say no when you say it like that…"

He then jumped off the stump that he was sitting on, placing the book that was in his hands atop of it. His sword rested at his hip as usual, but he adjusted the belt some. Kirita took a few steps back, placing her hand on the handle of her own sword as she watched the great general of the Shogun ready himself.

People were glued to them, Sakura as well. Kakashi didn't appear to be moving into a fight stance of his own, despite the fact that she was clearly ready to attack. It made Sakura wonder if he intended to leave his sword unsheathed. Kirita took a step forward with a yell and lunged. In the space of a blink, Kakashi's face was only inches from Kirita's, and she could feel the cold steel of his blade in front of her. Sakura's body froze, realizing that was the skill of Hatake Kakashi: General of the Shogun.

"I'm impressed. There was no cloud in your blade. You can see the heart into one's swordsmanship by that judgement. I can see that you were blessed with a good teacher."

Kirita's heart was beating wildly, her eyes bigger than two rice bowls. She couldn't believe how quickly he had drawn his sword and how quickly he had just won their spar. He sheathed his sword as quickly, smiling at her as he did so.

"Wow, I didn't even see the blade!" Naruto commented, "How did he do that?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "That's Iaidō."

Iaidō? The kenjutsu he must've meant. She herself never seen one move so fast, and she thought Kirita was quick with a sword.

"Hatake-sama…" Kirita sounded breathless, still in shock. Her sword was limply at her side, her eyes still big and staring at him. "Could I… Could I be trained under you?"

Kakashi was surprised by her proposal, "You want me to teach you?"

"My uncle died before I could finish my training," Kirita admitted truthfully, "and I've been practicing by free form. I'd like to know how you're able to move so smoothly with control and swiftness."

Even Kirita felt insecure about her abilities? It seemed unfathomable but Sakura noticed the look on her face after the incident occurred. She must've felt weak just like Sakura felt when that sharp blade was so close to her. Kirita felt she wasn't strong enough either.

"I don't believe I have the time to take on a pupil." Kakashi said wistfully, watching the look on the girl's face sadden upon his words. Minato was Shogun and Kakashi was his general. All of the samurai here were under him. How could he adopt her as a pupil during such turbulent times?

Bowing first, Kirita then stood straight. "I understand, Hatake-sama."

Normally, most samurai that he dealt with didn't have the respect that she did. Naruto would've tried to wore him down, Sasuke would've insulted him, and many others would've thrown tantrums or did as the other two would if not worse.

"I thank you for allowing me to have the privilege of battle even though it wasn't much." Her smile, although seemingly out of disappointment, held some warmth. "Regardless, with or without your tutelage, I will do my best to grow stronger for Kizashi-sama."

His admiration grew for the female warrior as she walked away from him with a new-found sense of determination. Did his rejection of his teachings serve to better her than hinder? He somehow felt his guilt chipping away upon seeing her long, confident strides. "Kirita...san."

The young woman stopped walking, turning to face the general who kept his eyes focused on her. "Yes?"

"Nevermind."

Raising a brow, the young woman gave a confused nod before turning back around and continuing heading to where she was before. The man sighed and rubbed the back of his head, unsure what caused him to do that.

Naruto and Sasuke glanced at one another before looking at the general, who seemed lost in a train of thought before picking up his book and sitting on the tree stump as he had before. "That was a bit weird, wasn't it?" Naruto finally questioned.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Sasuke had already lost interest in the weird behavior of the general. "I think I'd like to spar with your bodyguard." He turned to the princess, who seemed surprised that he was speaking to her.

"You want to spar with Kirita-chan?" She questioned, "Why?"

"Reasons." Well, he was a cloud of mystery, wasn't he?

Not liking his answer but not finding the courage to question him, she looked towards the direction where Kirita was. "You want me to ask her?"

"No, I can do that myself." He walked away from the confused duo, who watched the Uchiha leave them and walked towards where Kirita was standing.

Sakura then glanced towards the blond at her right, "Why did he mention it if he didn't want me to ask her permission?"

"That was just his way of striking a conversation…" Naruto answered, "No matter how shitty of an attempt it was."

Sasuke unsheathed his sword, pointing the tip of his sword at the female warrior. "Fight me."

"What?" Kirita hadn't yet glanced up at him, but the first thing she saw was the sharp end of his sword. Her brows furrowed as her eyes slightly narrow, a bit offended by such action. "That's not how you ask someone―"

"Who said I was asking?" The smirk on his face was enough to make her accept his challenge, which she did.

She stood and took a few steps before facing towards him, unsheathing her sword and getting herself in a steady position. Kirita's eyes held an intense gaze, mainly, for what Sakura contemplated, was because she was still not over the loss and rejection of her spar ans request from Kakashi. Although she knew how much her bodyguard handled many things with stride, she was sure that she was still mourning over an opportunity that would've benefited her.

Kirita charged forward, Sasuke following suit before jumping over the sword just seconds after Kirita swung the blade. Despite being surprised by his quickness, she didn't give him enough time to strike her or to even find an opening. Effortlessly, she spun on her heel and let their swords clash, which made the sound of metal crashing against once another cause everyone in the training fields to turn their attention to them. Kakashi himself even watched.

They were in a struggle of strength, pushing each other back and attempting to overpower the other with their eyes locked onto each other into another heated battle. The fire in Kirita's orbs captivated Sakura, since she felt she was truly looking into a fighter's spirit. Sasuke, despite not showing much emotion on his face, also had an aura that seemed intense and came in powerful waves off of him.

The female pushed the ninja-samurai back and flipped over the Uchiha, who quickly spun to meet her again to engage into another heated battle of clashes. They separated quickly, not bothering to lock each other like they did before. Sasuke managed to block each of Kirita's strikes but stepping back due to the extremity of pressure of each of the slash due to the power Kirita exerted.

When their swords clashed again, both of them applied too much force, it was so much so that sparks when flying through the air and both their swords flew out of their hands and into a safe distance away. "Heh…"

Kirita smirked, wiping the sweat off her brow. "Hatake-sama was stronger than me, but it looks like I met my match."

"Don't feel too confident over a simple spar."

Though he did have a point, Kirita still found it worth bragging about. "Uchihas are hard to defeat."

Sasuke was taken back, "What?"

"I've fought an Uchiha before." She answered, "And trust me, I still can't defeat him until this day. You must be Itachi-kun's younger brother. I didn't know your name until the incident when I heard your comrades calling you, but I know that name anywhere; Itachi-kun always praises you."

"How do you know my brother?"

Kirita walked towards her sword, inspected the blade before placing it back in it's sheath. "He's the one who told me my eldest brother died. He fought alongside him during the war against Imagawa."

"Your brother was…"

"Yeah."

The warrior gave him a small smile, "Thank you for the spar. I wasn't feeling very confident in my abilities after losing to Hatake-sama like that, so thank you." She bowed, "To be of equal match of an Uchiha is sure to make anyone believe in themselves again."

The onyx eyes of the prince watched her walk away. He looked down at his hand, staring at the palm of his sword hand as he remember Itachi and Naoki's playful spars.

_"Itachi, please take care of Kirita for me. She wants to be a warrior, she'll die just to become one. Please, look after her if I'm gone."_

"Wow Sasuke, how does it feel to find a match? Even though you _still_ can't beat me." Naruto chimed in, the dark-haired boy looking at the blue eyes that were taunting him.

"She just got lucky."

"Lucky?!" Sakura huffed, offended by the boy's words. "Kirita-chan is a great warrior and I know she can be even better than she is now. You're just mad because you're even matched against a girl!"

Sasuke sniffed, "Gender doesn't matter to me." And with that, he picked up Kusanagi ( his sword ) and walked away from the two, leaving Sakura stunned and Naruto skeptical of his behavior.

"That guy is definitely not fit to be anyone's husband." Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

Sakura blinked twice, "Husband? Sasuke-kun… is in an arranged marriage?"

"Yeah." He answered, "Not sure to who though, but I still feel bad for the girl."

She couldn't imagine how he would be married to someone either but that's because she hardly knew him and he didn't make getting to know him any easier. "What about you, are you also in arranged marriage?"

He shook his head, "I know I won't be this lucky for long…" He rubbed the back of his head, "Marriage alliances are the seals of all deals, and being the Shogun's son doesn't make it any better."

"The… Shogun's son?" Immediately, her eyes flew wide open and she gripped onto his collar. "You're… You're the Shogun's son? Y-You're―"

"You didn't know? Jeez, Sakura-hime, talk about being slow."

Why didn't he tell her? How was she supposed to figure it out? She never knew his name. "And I've been so mean to you and―"

"No, it's okay, really." Naruto said, causing her to look up at him in confusion. "You treat me like anybody else, and I like that. I don't want you to treat me any differently."

Her gaze softened upon his words and the bright smile that came after he spoke eased her completely. He literally could've had her killed for the way she treated him since they first met, but he encouraged it… He wanted her to be herself no matter what.

Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, her green eyes had looked down at the grass in a shy manner. "I see. Well, I should be going. See you later, Naruto!"


End file.
